Interrupter.



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INTERRUPTEB.

(Application med .my so, 1901. l

(No Model.)

I v -31/we1/vl SHO@ agi/VLM WW1/tngo UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

THOMAS WV. TOPI-IAM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

INTERRUPTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent N o. 689,438, dated December24, 1901.

v Application filed July 30, 1901. Serial lil'oK 70,196. (No model.) e

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W...TOPHAM, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, inthecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new andImproved Interrupter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for automaticallyproducing interru ptions in the continuity of an electric circuit, or,in other words, rapidly making and breaking the circuit.

My invention comprises the features which are hereinafter described, andwill be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures Figure 1 is a sectional elevationof my device. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of the inner vessel, takenonthe line of the discharge-orifices therein and showing the innerelectrode in place. Fig. 3 is a plan of the inner vessel, showing themanner of supporting the outer electrodes thereon.

The object of my invention is to produce a device capable ofautomatically producing a very rapid' series of interruptions or breaksin the continuity of an electrical circuit. e

' With thisend in view I provide two cells or vessels or a single vesseldivided into two parts by'a partition or diaphragm, said cells orvesselsbeingfpreferably of some material, such as glass or porcelain, which maybe' used to hold acids without injury, although this feature is not anessential one, as my device may be operated with pure Water in thecells. The diaphragm at least, and preferably the wholecell, should beof a non-conducting material, so that the two electrodes are separatedby an insulating-shield. The outer vessel A is imperforate, while theinner cell B has a series of small holes b in its side and preferablynear its bottom. For the best working of my device there should be atleast two of these holes, although I prefer to have a greater number. Inthe drawings I have shown six holes, which are evenly spaced about theperipheryofthe cellB. My device is, however, an improvement over formerdevices of a similar character even if a single hole is used for thedischarge of the electricity.'

Within the inner cell B is placed an electrode D, which is herein shownas consisting of adisk havinga stem D extending upwardly therefrom andto which is attached a wire H, leading to one pole of the battery,preferably to the negative pole thereof. The base D has a series ofreceiving or discharging points d projecting therefrom and located so asto be directly opposite the holes lv in the inner vessel or cell B andremoved only a short distance therefrom. Ordinarily the electrode Dwould be the receiving-electrode, although the direction of {iow may bereversed, in which case it would be the discharging-electrode.

The cooperating electrode is placed outside the cell B and is hereinshown as divided into two parts E, although such division is purely amatter of convenience and does not aect the principle involved. The twopar-ts of this electrode. each consist of a bar E, which at its lowerend has a discharging-point e', adapted to be held close to and directlyopposite one of the holes Z9 in the cell B. At their upper ends they arebent or otherwise provided with hooks, as e, by which they may besuspended from the upper edge of the cell B. To conveniently adjust thepoints e relative to the 'openings b, I provide an adjusting-screw F vin each part of the electrode, said screw bearing upon the outer-face ofthe cell B. In order that the two parts of the electrode may beindependent of each other or so that the electrode if made in one piecemay be moved to utilize any of the discharge-holes desired, I place aconductor about the upper edge of the cell and connect the feed-wire tothis, while the electrode makes connection with the feed-wire throughsaid circular conductor, with which it contacts when it is hung inlplace on the cell whatever position it occupies about the cell.

The circular conductor as herein shown consists of a ring C, which isplaced about and just within the upper edge of the cell. The manner ofsecuring this in place is immaterial. It is herein shown as restingwithin the upper edge of the cell, which is slightly flared or beveledto receive it. Thefeed-wire G is secured to it in' any convenientmanner.' With this arrangement the two parts of the IOO electrode may beplaced opposite any of the discharge-openings desired. To quickly andconveniently locate them, the ring C is provided with slight notches ordepressions C', corresponding in number and position with the number andposition of the dischargeopenings b, so that when the hook of anelectrode is placed in one of the notches C its point e' will beopposite a discharge-opening b. The lower portion of the cell B and ofboth electrodes are immersed in a liquid, preferably acidulated,although this is notan essential feature.

The operation of my device is based upon the principle that if a currentof electricity is passed through asmall opening in a non-conductor, saidopening beingimmersed beneath a liquid, the current will beautomatically rapidly broken and restored. This action is attributed tothe vaporization of the liquid within the hole, due to the heatgenerated by the current, the heating of the liquid being caused by therelatively small area of the cross-section of the liquid within the holeas compared with the volume of electricity passing through it. The smallbubble of vapor formed breaks the circuit within the hole; but as soonas the circuit is broken the source of heat is stopped and thesurrounding body of cool liquid causes the bubble to be condensed andthe circuit is restored by the infiow of the liquid. These two actionsof breaking and restoring the circuit proceed automatically and withgreat rapidity.

In devices of this character as previously used, where only a singledischarging-opening was provided, it has been found that a iow of theliquid was caused in the direction of the-electrical iiow and thatfinally a considerable variation of levelof the liquid within andwithout the cell was caused, and the device eventually refused to work.In my device I have provided openings other than those used for thedischarge for the return flow of the liquid, thus keeping the levelconstant both within and without the cell, thus enabling continuousoperation of the device. The same result may be obtained where pluralpairs of discharging-points are used by connecting the two pairs, sothat the current will flow through the diaphragm in opposite directions,and separating the two pairs sufciently, so that the resistance throughthe holes is less than through the liquid between the opposite pointswhich are on the saine side ot' the diaphragm. The liquid flow caused byone pair of points is thus counteracted by the fiow caused by the otherpair. I have also found an advantage to arise from using pluraldischarging-points in that the rapidity of the interruptions is muchincreased thereby. I attribute this to an alternation of the times offormation and condensation of the bubbles in the diiferent holes. Vherethe volume of electricity used is sufiiciently large compared with thearea of the holes a bubble will be formed andthe current broken in onehole between the times of formation and condensation of the bubble inthe other hole. An alternation of action between the two holes is thuscaused which practically doubles the number of breaks secured.

The perforations in the cell may be all of the same size or of differentsize, the difference in size affecting the working of the interrupter tovary the rapidity of the breaks and the intensity of the current. Theadjustable electrode may be shifted to whichever holes will produce theedect desired, thus enabling widely-varying results to be secured by thesame device.

It is clearly evident that the details and the mechanism by which myinvention may be carried out may be widely varied without departing fromthe spirit thereof. I do not therefore wish to be understood as statingthat the forms shown are the only ones known to me in which my inventionmay be embodied, or that I claim only the construction shown. On thecontrary, I am aware that it may be embodied in numerous forms widelydiffering in appearance, and desire to claim my invention in any form inwhich it may be embodied. The scope of my invention is to be determinedby reference to the claims concluding this specification, in which theomission in any claim of an element or a failure to qualify an elementis to be understood as a distinct statement that the element crqualification of an element omitted is not essential to thecombinationtherein claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patentl. An electrical-current interrupter comprisinga perforated insulating-diaphl'agm and two complementarydischarging-points discharging through the perforation in saiddiaphragm, a liquid submerging said points and perforation, and meansfor equalizing the liquid-level on opposite sides of the diaphragm.

2. An electrical-current interrupter, comprisingaliquid-containing cell,an insulatingdiaphragm dividing said cell into two parts, twocooperating discharging-points on opposite sides of said diaphragm andsubmerged in the liquid, said diaphragm having a perforation for thepassage of the electrical current and another perforation `for the flowof liquid.

3. An electrical-current interrupter, comprisinga liquid-containingcell, an insulatingdiaphragm within said cell and provided with pluralsubmerged perforations for the passage of the electrical current, andplural pairs of discharging-points, the points of each pair connectingand discharging through the liquid in one of said perforations.

4. An electrical-current interrupter, comprising a liquid-containin gcell, an insulatingdiaphragm within said cell and provided with pluralsubmerged perforations for the passage of the electrical current, andplural pairs of IIO discharging-points, the points of each pairconnecting and discharging through the liquid in one of saidperforations, and means for maintaining an equality of liquid-levelbetween opposite sides of the diaphragm.

5. An electrical-current 'interrupter or break, comprising aliquid-containing cell, an insulating-diaphragm dividing said cell intotwo parts, plural pairs of coperating discharging-points, the points ofeach pair lying on opposite sides of the diaphragm and being submerged,said diaphragm having discharging-perforations between the points ofeach pair for the passage of the current, and also having a perforationfor the passage of the liquid.

6. An interrupter comprising plural pairs of discharging-points, eachpair discharging through its respective hole in an insulatingplate, saidholes being submerged in a liquid.

7. An interrupter comprising an outer and an inner cell, the inner cellbeing composed of an insulating material and having a series ofdischarging-holes therein, an electrode Within the inner cell andprovided with discharging-points adapted to register with thedischarging-holes, a complementary electrode outside the inner cell andhaving dischargingpoints adapted to register with the same holes in thecell, said holes being adapted to be submerged in a liquid.

8. An interrupter comprising a cell of insulating material havingdischarging-'perforationstherein, an electrode within the cell adaptedto be connected with one pole of the battery, a conductingrim about thecell adapted to be connected with the other pole of the battery, and anelectrodev adapted to be suspended from said rim outside the cell, bothsaidelectrodes having dischargingpoints adapted to register with theperforations in the cell.

9. An interrupter comprising a cell of insulating material havingdischarging-perforations therein, an electrode Within the cell adaptedto be connected with one pole of the battery, a conducting-rim about thecell adapted to be connected with the other pole of the battery, and anelectrode adapted to be suspended from said rim outside the cell, bothsaid electrodes having discharging points adapted to register vwith theperforations in the cell, and means for adjusting the distance of thedischarging-points of one electrode toward and from the perforations.

10. An interrupter comprising a cell of insulating material havingperforations therein, two electrodes one within and one without saidcell, one electrode being made in separable parts whereby the dischargemay be conducted through any one of the perforations desired. y

1l. An interrupter comprising a cell of insulating material havingperforations therein, two electrodes one within and one Without saidcell, and a conducting-ring about the cell, one of the electrodesbeingmade in plural parts adapted to be supported by said ring opposite anyof the perforations desired.

12. An interrupter comprising a cell of insulating material havingperforations theref in, two electrodes one within and one without saidcell, and a conducting-ring about the cell and adapted to be connectedwith vone pole of the battery and to also support one of the electrodesopposite any of the perforationsdesired.

13. An interrupter comprising a cell of insulating material havingperforations therein, two electrodes one within and one without saidcell, and a conducting-ring about the cell and adapted to be connectedwith one pole of the battery and having locating devices correspondingwith the perforations in the cell and adapted to be engaged by one ofthe electrodes to locate it.

T. W. TOPI-IAM.

Witnesses:

H. L. REYNOLDS, A. F. DANNIC.

